Great expectations: Can the quality of teaching and learning be improved through academic development programs?

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 25: Quality Conversations

July, 2002, 794 pages
Published by
Tony Herrington
ISBN
0 908557 54 X
Abstract 

Academic staff at universities now work in a climate where the need for professional currency in teaching practice is increasingly in evidence. This is most notable in the shift towards teaching and learning as core activities in the development of quality assurance guidelines that emphasise the centrality of the student experience and good teaching practice. Many Australian universities now offer professional development opportunities for staff and accredited programs that lead to a recognised teaching qualification. This article reports on the evaluation of a tertiary teaching program that provides staff with a tertiary teaching qualification. Findings generally support the efficacy of the program as a means of improving the reflective practice and reconceptualising of teaching by university lecturers. On a broader level, the paper indicates directions and strategies that enable such programs to become more fully supportive of quality assurance processes.

Keywords:Tertiary improvement, educational development, scholarship of teaching, quality assurance